Norwegian reports underlying result improvement and high load factor in the first quarter

Press release -

Norwegian reports underlying result improvement and high load factor in the first quarter

Norwegian today reported its first quarter results for 2016 with an underlying improvement of more than 400 MNOK (£34m), compared to the same quarter previous year. The company’s intercontinental and Nordic routes had a positive impact on the results. The load factor was record high at 85 per cent, in a quarter that is traditionally considered low season.

The pre-tax result (EBT) was -992 MNOK, compared to -777 MNOK the same quarter previous year. Included in the 2016 figures are negative currency effects and losses from forward jet-fuel contracts, amounting to a loss of 528 MNOK.

The load factor for the first quarter was 85 per cent, up two percentage points compared to the same quarter last year. The airline carried close to six million passengers in the first quarter, an increase of 17 per cent. Norwegian’s strongest growth was at London Gatwick, where the airline operates both long- and short-haul routes. The growth at Spanish airports is also considerable. In the Nordic countries passenger numbers increased, both in regards to total number of passengers and market shares.

CEO Bjørn Kjos said: “The first quarter results show that we have an underlying profit improvement of 400 million NOK compared to the same quarter last year. Our load factor continues to be very high. The long-haul operations are becoming significantly more important. We also see growth in the Nordics and in Europe in general. We also see that the Scandinavian and European route networks both play an increasingly important role in our long-haul strategy, as many of our passengers connect from short haul to long haul and vice versa. An increasing number of business travellers choose to fly with Norwegian, and we have entered into agreements with several large corporations in the first quarter. This indicates that passengers appreciate a high quality product at a low price.”

In the first quarter, Norwegian launched new long-haul routes between Paris and the US, and took delivery of five brand new Boeing 737-800 and one Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

For detailed information, please see pdf attached.

Media Contacts:
Chief Communications Officer Anne-Sissel Skånvik, tel + 47 97 55 43 44
CFO Frode Foss, tel. +47 91 63 16 45

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Press contact Norwegian Press Office +47 815 11 816
Marketing/sponsorhip requests: marketing@norwegian.com

Marketing/sponsorhip requests: marketing@norwegian.com

Press contact Marketing/sponsorship requests: marketing@norwegian.com

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The Norwegian group is a leading Nordic aviation company, headquartered at Fornebu outside Oslo, Norway. The company has over 8,200 employees and owns two of the prominent airlines in the Nordics: Norwegian Air Shuttle and Widerøe’s Flyveselskap. Widerøe was acquired by Norwegian in 2024, aiming to facilitate seamless air travel across the two airline’s networks.

Norwegian Air Shuttle, the largest Norwegian airline with around 4,700 employees, operates an extensive route network connecting Nordic countries to key European destinations. In 2023, Norwegian carried over 20 million passengers and maintained a fleet of 87 Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

Widerøe’s Flyveselskap, Norway’s oldest airline, is Scandinavia’s largest regional carrier. The airline has more than 3,500 employees. Mainly operating the short-runway airports in rural Norway, Widerøe operates several state contract routes (PSO routes) in addition to its own commercial network. In 2023, the airline had 3.3 million passengers and a fleet of 48 aircraft, including 45 Bombardier Dash 8’s and three Embraer E190-E2's. Widerøe Ground Handling provides ground handling services at 41 Norwegian airports.

The Norwegian group has sustainability as a key priority and has committed to significantly reducing carbon emissions from its operations. Among numerous initiatives, the most noteworthy is the investment in production and use of fossil-free aviation fuel (SAF). Norwegian strives to become the sustainable choice for its passengers, actively contributing to the transformation of the aviation industry.

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